German Chancellor Angela Merkel appealed for government aid to boost microchip production in Europe this week as the world order reshuffles around the costly high-tech sector.
“We will have to spend gigantic sums,” the German chancellor said. “Without state aid, the expansion of microchip production in Europe will not be possible.”
Factories to build chips can cost billions of dollars to establish.
The comments from Mrs Merkel highlight a growing understanding among nations, big and small, of the implications for a future run on chips that slot into almost every piece of electronics that we use every day.
"The beast has to be fed," Bharat Kapoor, a partner at US management consultant Kearney's, told The National. "Beyond nukes, if we look at the last seven decades, power was defined by oil and energy."
But now the focus is shifting to who holds the supply of high-tech components.
“Take the example of a ‘top 5’ economy, India. A few years ago it was predicted that her biggest import bill would be electronics – all powered by chips – which could have been up to 15 per cent of its GDP. That is nearly an unsustainable situation. Countries that have an oligopoly on these technologies are putting themselves in very different leagues.”
He highlighted Korea, Taiwan, Japan and Ireland as nations that have distinguished themselves with semiconductor market share, while Europe and the US race to catch up.
Meanwhile, in China – the world’s biggest semiconductor maker – the aim is to become entirely self-sufficient in supplying its own massive market.
China’s semiconductor industry generated $27.2 billion in sales in the first quarter of 2021, an increase of 18.1 per cent from a year earlier.
In the US, the Biden administration is in the midst of a 100-day review of the semiconductor supply chain and Congress is mulling legislation aimed at reducing US dependence on foreign supply while incentivising domestic production of semiconductors through a $50 billion infrastructure plan, Reuters reported.
What are chips and semiconductors?
A main building block of chips are semiconductors – a technically complex product to manufacture since they are tinier than the tip of a needle and getting smaller all the time.
A single chip can contain millions of semiconductors, which send information inside everything from the smartphone in your hand to modern cars, smartwatches, e-readers and kitchen appliances.
With a growing number of consumer goods going from analogue to tech-enabled, the demand for semiconductors is booming – and there is no alternative.
Demand is only expected to increase, Mr Kapoor said.
As robotics proliferate across manufacturing, retail and healthcare, homes become equipped with smart features and consumer goods become increasingly electronic, there is no alternative to the chip in the coming decades.
“Even the Covid vaccine had to rely upon chips to make it happen in record time to the tune of 5-times faster than average vaccine development,” Mr Kapoor said.
While nations jockey for position, experts are sounding alarm bells over the steep cost of the high-tech transition.
Kate Crawford, a Microsoft researcher and author of Atlas of AI, told an audience at the CogX conference in London last week that the semiconductor shortage may provide a much-needed wake-up call.
“Our relationship to our devices is that they are easily thrown away and acquired,” she said. “Because of the semiconductor crisis, the ability to buy a new car has been put back by 6 to 12 months due to the lack of core devices.”
She said this may be instructive to consumers and policymakers that “we are going to have to be much more careful about the compute that we use … we are already teetering on a cliff.”
Barbie
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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Indian origin executives leading top technology firms
Sundar Pichai
Chief executive, Google and Alphabet
Satya Nadella
Chief executive, Microsoft
Ajaypal Singh Banga
President and chief executive, Mastercard
Shantanu Narayen
Chief executive, chairman, and president, Adobe
Indra Nooyi
Board of directors, Amazon and former chief executive, PepsiCo
The more serious side of specialty coffee
While the taste of beans and freshness of roast is paramount to the specialty coffee scene, so is sustainability and workers’ rights.
The bulk of genuine specialty coffee companies aim to improve on these elements in every stage of production via direct relationships with farmers. For instance, Mokha 1450 on Al Wasl Road strives to work predominantly with women-owned and -operated coffee organisations, including female farmers in the Sabree mountains of Yemen.
Because, as the boutique’s owner, Garfield Kerr, points out: “women represent over 90 per cent of the coffee value chain, but are woefully underrepresented in less than 10 per cent of ownership and management throughout the global coffee industry.”
One of the UAE’s largest suppliers of green (meaning not-yet-roasted) beans, Raw Coffee, is a founding member of the Partnership of Gender Equity, which aims to empower female coffee farmers and harvesters.
Also, globally, many companies have found the perfect way to recycle old coffee grounds: they create the perfect fertile soil in which to grow mushrooms.
Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
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MATCH INFO
Liverpool 3
Sadio Man 28'
Andrew Robertson 34'
Diogo Jota 88'
Arsenal 1
Lacazette 25'
Man of the match
Sadio Mane (Liverpool)
EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS
Estijaba – 8001717 – number to call to request coronavirus testing
Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111
Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre
Emirates airline – 600555555
Etihad Airways – 600555666
Ambulance – 998
Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries
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The Bio
Hometown: Bogota, Colombia
Favourite place to relax in UAE: the desert around Al Mleiha in Sharjah or the eastern mangroves in Abu Dhabi
The one book everyone should read: 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. It will make your mind fly
Favourite documentary: Chasing Coral by Jeff Orlowski. It's a good reality check about one of the most valued ecosystems for humanity
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
About Takalam
Date started: early 2020
Founders: Khawla Hammad and Inas Abu Shashieh
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: HealthTech and wellness
Number of staff: 4
Funding to date: Bootstrapped
Company%20profile
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Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
The specs
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 620hp from 5,750-7,500rpm
Torque: 760Nm from 3,000-5,750rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed dual-clutch auto
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh1.05 million ($286,000)
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
The studios taking part (so far)
- Punch
- Vogue Fitness
- Sweat
- Bodytree Studio
- The Hot House
- The Room
- Inspire Sports (Ladies Only)
- Cryo
